Accidents

When you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, your life takes a turn for the worse. Even in relatively minor accidents, the inconvenience associated with the damage to your vehicle and dealing with the various insurance companies can be time-consuming and annoying. In those situations involving significant personal injury, an accident can result in a temporary or sometimes permanent life change. It is our job at Slatkin & Lupo to do our best to minimize your inconvenience and to make certain that you are treated fairly. For 30 years we have endeavored to accomplish that goal.

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We work on a contingency fee basis, and we will advance all trial costs and fees. If we do not recover damages for you, you will not be responsible for those costs or attorney's fees.Besides English, our office has staff fluent in Spanish, French and Vietnamese. We can also make arrangements to assist speakers of other languages.

Even though the contingent attorney’s fee is based on your personal injury claim, our representation is not just limited to negotiating a fair resolution of your personal injury claim. It is our belief that our clients are entitled to professional and timely advice regarding all issues or questions arising from an accident, beginning from the initial phone call.

Accordingly, our services include the following:

Assistance with Your Property Damage Claim

We will advise you and, if necessary, handle all aspects arising from your property damage claim. In those circumstances where another driver is at fault in causing an accident, that person’s insurance company will be responsible to pay to repair your vehicle, or to pay the fair market value of your vehicle if it cannot be repaired. The insurance company is also responsible to pay for towing, storage, and a rental vehicle for a reasonable period of time. If your vehicle is repaired but did sustain significant damage, the insurance company would also be responsible for its diminution of value.

Assistance with Your No-fault (PIP) Claim

All Maryland car insurance policies are required to provide at least $2,500 of Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage. With some exceptions, this coverage applies to all people in a vehicle that is involved in an accident, regardless of who was at fault. We handle this part of the claim at no charge to make certain that the money is allocated in the way that best serves our client. Depending on the circumstances, we advise our clients regarding the coordination of these benefits with health insurance, worker’s compensation insurance, and/or other benefits.

Assistance with Quality Medical Care

Although we are not doctors, we do have significant experience in representing people with all types of injuries arising from motor vehicle accidents. We would obviously never substitute our judgment for your doctor’s opinions or care, but we can offer considered feedback for the care you are receiving and any appropriate alternatives. We also have long-term established professional relationships with many health care providers in the Washington-Baltimore area and can assist you in locating specialists and board-certified physicians, if necessary. We also have relationships with numerous diagnostic facilities which can assist our uninsured clients in obtaining diagnostic tests, including MRIs, pending resolution of a claim.

Assistance with Your Personal Injury Claim

Our primary responsibility is to make certain that our injured clients are fairly and adequately compensated for their injuries sustained as a result of the negligence of another person, even if that person is uninsured or cannot be identified. As part of your personal injury claim, you are entitled to recover all of your reasonable medical bills, all lost wages and/or lost earning potential, and fair compensation for the impact an injury has had on your enjoyment or quality of life. In Maryland and in Washington, DC, such a claim must be resolved or a lawsuit filed within three years of the accident.

At the appropriate time, we will negotiate with the responsible insurance company to determine the maximum amount of money the insurance company is willing to pay. You will thereafter decide whether to settle the claim without going to court or to authorize us to file a lawsuit. We will, of course, fully explain your alternatives as well as the advantages and disadvantages of litigation in your particular situation. If it is your decision to authorize us to file a lawsuit, we will advance all reasonable costs associated with the lawsuit. Slatkin & Lupo will litigate all legitimate claims, and we have taken more than 250 cases to trial in the past three years. Insurance companies and their lawyers respect that.

Assistance with All of Your Questions

We recognize that it was not your choice to be involved in a motor vehicle collision and that the process can be confusing and overwhelming. We will do our best to answer all of your questions in a timely fashion and to promptly return or address all of your telephone calls and email inquiries. You will receive personal attention, and we will promptly respond to all issues arising out of your accident.